Electric hair dryer



Nov. 4, 1969 N. G. FOLEY ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June}, 1967 Norman 6. Foley INVENTOR.

Nov. 4, 1969 v N.G. FOLEY 3,476,121

ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER Filed June e, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet Hair Roller Norman, 6. Foley INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,476,121 ELECTRIC HAIR DRYER Norman G. Foley, Rte. 1, Box 14, Matoaka, W. Va. 24736 Filed June 6, 1967, Ser. No. 643,918 Int. Cl. A45d 20/00 US. Cl. 1329 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hair dryer light in weight, requiring no motor or fan, noiseless and economical. It employs at least one conventional bouifant-type roller normally used for styling ones hairdo. A novel electrical heating element slips into and is detachably clipped on the roller. It has a current delivery wire electrically connected with a main feeding distributing wire embedded in a broad shoulder-supported collar having a master controllable switch. A long extension cord is connected to the switch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a hair dryer which is believed to be unique in that special electrically energized heating elements are employed and are such in construction that the user can resort to the use of cylindrical open-ended hair rollers, can telescope a given heating element into a selected roller, and can detachably clip the heating element on the roller in a manner that it will stay put during the hair drying step.

PRIOR ART SUMMARY It has been discovered that ordinary bouffant rollers can be used in a new manner, that is, as shields and supports for electric heating elements. The element has an adapter clip which attaches the same to the roller and also clips the coiled or wound hair around the roller. These heating elements can vary in construction. The collar may be of fabric but may preferably be of laminated plastic material with a main switch-equipped wire and auxiliary wires branching from the main wire. These auxiliary wires have companion female receptacles or sockets for male plugs carried by a plurality of take-off wires leading to the heating elements. The collar can be made in varying designs and patterns, should go around the wearers neck, drape apron-like over the shoulders and tie, if desired, in the front. This collar contains the network of electric wiring.

It is contemplated that the extension cord should be relatively long inasmuch as many users may desire it to be long enough to do housework while the hair is drying. The master switch is built into the collar and the main feeding wire is joined with the switch and the latter should be similar to a temperature knob-control switch on a heating pad and preferably equipped with a fuse to prevent overheating. Then, too, the extension cord has suitable means, a clip for example, to attach the cord to 3,476,121 Patented Nov. 4, 1969 the person (leg, foot, body or arm) so as to be able to walk and move around while the dryer is operating.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the hair dryer herein disclosed and showing the same applied and in readiness for use.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective showing a single one of the aforementioned electric heating elements with its individual current take-off and supply wire.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation showing the collar by itself.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail section, with parts in elevation, showing a single hair roller and the companion attachable and detachable electric heating element and more particularly the manner in which the clip-on-means is constructed and how it functions.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail View in section and elevation taken on the section line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

And FIG. 7 is a view in perspective, similar to FIG. 2 and showing a modified heating element, that is, one wherein a prescribed lamp bulb is used in conjunction with a clip-equipped socket.

Starting with the adapter means whereby the same can [be applied to and worn on the users person this means, more specifically, comprises a collar which is denoted generally by the numeral 8. This collar may of course be made of cloth but and for acceptable safe-guarded usage it should be and preferably will be made of two like sheets or plies of suitable plastic material as suggested in FIG. 6. There is an underneath ply or lamination 10 and a top ply 12 with mating marginal edges suitably sealed together. The outer marginal edge (FIG. 3) is denoted at 14 and the inner marginal edge at 16. The collar is broad and may be of different designs and patterns and should go completely around the back part of the head and drape over the front and shoulders so that the adjacent connectible ends 18 can be tied or otherwise separably connected together as at 20. This collar contains or embodies the network of wires referred to broadly as wiring means. The main feeding and delivery wire is denoted generally by the numeral 22 in FIG. 1. The wire 22 is embedded adjacent but inwardly of the marginal edge portion 14 and follows the general curvature as is evident by examining FIGS. 1 and 3. This wire also distributively supplies current to the radial upwardly or inwardly disposed auxiliary wires denoted at 24. Any number of auxiliary wires may be used in the manner suggested in FIGS. 1 and 3. Each auxiliary wire is provided with suitably embedded coacting selectively usable female receptacles 26. The knob and dial equipped master control switch means is denoted at 28 and is of suitable composite construction and is electrically connected with the intermediate or medium portion of the main wire 22, In

actual practice this switch will include suitable switching means and perhaps also a fuse to prevent undesirable overheating. This switch is also referred to as the master switch and it is provided with or connected to the current conducting cord 30. This cord 30 may be and preferably is of considerable length and has a conventional plug 32 attached to one end. It is also provided with a leg or body clip 34 which is slidingly mounted as at 36. As already pointed out some users may desire a cord which is amply long enough to do housework while the hair is drying.

, In actual practice any number, that is suitable number, of current take-olf and delivery units will be used. one such unit is shown in FIG, 2 and comprises an appropriate composite heating element 38 with a companion wire 40 connected electrically thereto, said wire having a thermal plug, referred to as a male plug and denoted at 42 and which is adapted to be plugged into a selected one of the receptacles or sockets 26. Each heating element is provided with an attaching and retaining device referred to broadly as clip means 44 (FIG. 2) and which has lateral end portions 46 anchored on one end of the element, and also including a pair of suitably constructed resilient fingers 48 and 50. This unit (FIG. 2) comprises the element, the clip means, wire and plug means. The over-all unit is operatively eonnectible with the source of current embodied in the collar and when in use, as shown in FIG. 1, the unit is fitted telescopingly into the hollow portion of an open-ended conventional boufiant-type hair roller. Any number of rollers are in use and one such roller is denoted generally at 52.

It will be recalled that one of the objectives of the instant concept is to provide hair dryer means which is light in weight, noiseless and economical to purchase and economical to operate; that an underlying feature of the invention is to so construct the heating units or elements, collar and other features that a user can employ conventional open-ended or cylindrical boutfant hair rollers. This is the reason why the element in FIG. 2, that is, the element 38 is provided with clip means 44 which is offset and which has spring fingers 48 and 50 which are capable of mounting the element so that it telescopes into the roller and also so that the clip means holds the element in place and also clips the hair around the ro ler, or rollers, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

It is also within the purview of this invention to vary the construction of the aforementioned heating means or units. Attention is accordingly called to FIG, 7 which shows a modification wherein the numeral 54 comprises a suitable screw-threaded socket having a current delivery wire 56 connected thereto and carrying clip means 58 which is the same as the clip means 44 and includes spring attaching and retaining fingers 60 and 62. The difference here is that the heating element is more specifically a prescribed type of renewable lamp bulb 64 having a screw-threaded base 66 for attachment to the socket member 54. The important thing in connection with the heating units is that the clip means :must be of proper construction and also the element such that these component parts can be properly used in conjunction with a conventional open-ended roller as shown in FIGS. 4 and in particular.

The collar 8 is preferably but not necessarily made of plastic material or an equivalent insulation material which and the clip means 34 can be adjusted along the cord and attached to a leg or foot of the wearer so that it is possible for the wearer to move about freely while, at the same time, drying her hair.

It is within the purview of the inventive concept to appropriately color the heating elements, if so desired. In fact, this colorful aspect of the invention can best be resorted to by employing colored lamp bulbs 64 in FIG. 7, for example. (By adopting colors in this manner, use of the invention will appeal to youngsters.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles 05 the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation'shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A hair dryer comprising, in combination, at least one conventional type boufiant hollow hair roller open at its respective ends, heat radiating means separate from said roller, said heat radiating means embodying an electrical heating unit provided with an electrically connected current heating wire, said wire having a free end terminating in an electrically connected male plug, said electrical heating unit being proportional in size and shape and capable of being inserted and substantially confined within the hollow portion of said roller when being used, said heating unit being provided with complemental clip means which is adapted to be separably attached to said hair roller in a manner to coordinate and assemble said roller and unit, and a manually controllable user-sup ported heat source for said heat radiating means, said heat source embodying a conformingly adaptable shoulder-supported neck encircling collar made of insulation material, electric current conducting and distributing wiring concealed and embedded protectively within the coacting component portions of said collar, said wiring being equipped with at least one female receptacle for detachable reception and retention of the aforementioned male plug, a controllabl regulable switch embodied in an accessible position in said collar and providing off and on current controlling needs, an extension cord having one end electrically connected with said switch and having an opposite free end, said free'end being provided with a pronged plug for separable connection with a room-type receptacle.

would permit it to be processed by heating the material I with edge portions properly sealed and joined together. Each socket in the collar would have a direct connection to the master switch 28 which is also made and properly sealed in the ready-to-use collar. The arrangement should also be such that in case one heating bulb or tube stops heating, that is burnsout, it would not have any affect on the ones that are then operatively heating. The wires and underside of the sockets will be sealed in-between the laminations of the collar so as to make a more desirable looking collar and one which is safe and acceptable. No wires or sockets can be seen from the underneath or bottom side of the collar. Inactual practice, the receptacles or plugs will be about the size of a dime and made of thin plastic. I

' Inpractice the various rollers can be put in place and the'- 'cooperable heating elements can be then clipped in place. The wires will then be free so that after the collar is applied and tied on, the collar can be shifted bodily around and the plug can be joined with their intended receptacles or sockets in order to achieve the ready-tofunction arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1. The long ex-, tension cord 30 can'be p gg d in Where er convenient 2. The dryer defined in and according to claim 1, an wherein said unit comprises a self-contained electric heating element of prescribed heatregulated intensity, said clip means being mounted on and carried by one end of said element and embodying a pair of opposed elongated resilient finger-like grips which are capable of straddling and gripping an end portion of the wall portion of said roller and which also simultaneously, grip and hold the hair in its coiled state on and around the periphery of said roller, whereby to obviate a need for bobby pins suchas are customarily needed for positioning and reend portion of the wall portion of said roller and which also simultaneously grip and hold the hair in it coiled state on and around the periphery of said roller, whereby to obviate a need for bobby pins such as are customarily needed for positioning and retaining said roller in a given position. v A.

4. In a hair dryer, a readily applicable and removable collar capable of encircling the neck of the user, said collar having separable end portions provided with readily accessible means for temporarily connecting said end portions and retaining the collar in a given position, said collar being characterized by a relatively broad apron-like body portion capable of residing conformingly and comfortably atop the users shoulders, said collar being made of flexible top and bottom laminations of insulation material superimposed atop each other and having marginal edges fastened together, electric wiring embodying a main current feeding wire sandwiched lengthwise between said laminations and situated inwardly of an adjacent outer marginal edge of said body portion, a plurality of auxiliary current distributing wires also sandwiched between said laminations, said distributing wires being spaced circumferentially apart and having corresponding outer ends electrically connected to said main current feeding Wire, said distributing wires branching radially from said main current feeding wire and each such wire being provided with individual longitudinally spaced electrically connected current take-off receptacles which are accessibly embedded in the top lamination for selective use, a manually regulatable master control switch also accessibly embedded in said top lamination and electrically connected with a median portion of said main current feeding wire, an elongated current delivery extension cord having one end connected to said switch and its other end free and equipped with a conventional-type pronged plug which is adapted to be operatively plugged into a regular wall-mounted current supply receptacle, and a cord attaching clip adjustably and accessibly mounted on a predetermined portion of said cord and designed and adapted to be temporarily attached to the users leg, foot or other body part in a manner to enable the user to move about unhampered by the trailing cord and to minimize undesirable pulling strain on said switch.

5. In the hair dryer defined in claim 4, in combination With said collar, a plurality of individual electric heating elements each provided at one end with an attaching clip and also with a current take-off wire, said current take-off Wire being provided with a hitching plug which is adapted to be operatively but detachably connected with a selected one of the aforementioned receptacles.

6. In the hair dryer defined in claim 5, a plurality of bouffant-type hair styling rollers, each roller being of hollow Open-end apertured construction, and each clip having resilient finger-like grips which are attachable to a selected roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,3 25,799 8/ 1943 Fountain 2l9--24 2,264,814- 12/1941 Stanley 34-99 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner G. E. McNEIL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

